Sakura Press

Sakura Press was a Russian publishing house and licensing company based in Moscow, active primarily in manga and related Japanese popular-culture publishing. Established in 2003, it became associated with the early development of Russia's licensed manga market and described itself as the first Russian company to publish manga. Its first manga release was Ranma ½, with the initial two volumes appearing in April 2005. The company's catalog included licensed editions of several Japanese manga properties, including Ranma ½, Battle Royale, Chrono Crusade, Fushigi Yūgi, Ai Yori Aoshi, and Gunslinger Girl. Its business therefore combined rights licensing with localized print publication, making it an early intermediary between Japanese content owners and Russian readers. The company also participated in periodical publishing. Between May 2003 and July 2004, it collaborated with the publishers of Animemaniacs Magazine Online on anime*magazine, a bimonthly publication covering anime, manga, video games, Japanese culture, and Japanese history. The magazine began in black and white, later adopted color production, and was distributed with a CD. It ended after major sponsors, including MC Entertainment, moved their support to the competing AnimeGid magazine. Sakura Press's manga editions attracted criticism from parts of the Russian fandom because the pages were horizontally reversed, a practice commonly called flipping or flopping. This approach was used throughout the company's releases and reflected a localization convention that made the reading direction resemble that of many Western comics, but it was controversial among readers who preferred manga in its original right-to-left format. The company stopped publishing manga and ceased updating its website in 2011. It was officially defunct by 2016. No current parent company, owner, public listing, or operating website is identified in the available reference material. Sakura Press is consequently best understood as a historically significant but discontinued Russian manga publisher rather than an active contemporary media group.

Sakura Press was founded in Moscow in 2003 as a Russian licensor and publisher specializing in manga. Its formation came during an early period of organized anime and manga publishing in Russia, when publishers were beginning to establish formal relationships with Japanese rights holders and adapt imported titles for local readers. The company identified itself as the first Russian publisher to release manga and built its profile around licensed Japanese properties rather than original domestic comics. The company's first reported manga project was Ranma ½. The first two volumes were published in April 2005. This release gave Sakura Press an identifiable place in the early history of Russian manga publishing and established the type of catalog it would pursue: recognizable Japanese series issued in Russian-language print editions. Subsequent licensed properties included Battle Royale, Chrono Crusade, Fushigi Yūgi, Ai Yori Aoshi, and Gunslinger Girl. Sakura Press also had an early connection to anime journalism and fan-oriented media. From May 2003 through July 2004, it collaborated with the publishers of Animemaniacs Magazine Online on anime*magazine, a bimonthly magazine devoted to anime, manga, video games, and aspects of Japanese culture and history. The periodical initially used black-and-white production, later moved to color, and was accompanied by a CD. Its editorial mix included reviews, news, interviews, and feature articles. The project ended in 2004 when major sponsors, among them MC Entertainment, transferred their support to the competing AnimeGid magazine. A recurring point of controversy around Sakura Press's manga editions was the decision to reverse the page order horizontally, known in English-language fandom as flipping or flopping. The practice made the pages read from left to right, but it altered the original right-to-left presentation associated with Japanese manga. Russian fans criticized the company for applying this treatment across its releases, making localization format part of Sakura Press's public reputation. Sergei Kharlamov served as the company's general director. Beyond the properties and periodical identified in available reference material, detailed information about Sakura Press's corporate ownership, financial performance, workforce, and distribution network is not established. The company stopped publishing manga and ceased updating its website in 2011. It was officially defunct by 2016. Its historical significance rests mainly on its role as an early Russian manga licensor and publisher and on its participation in the first generation of organized Russian anime and manga media.

• 2016

  Company is officially defunct

  [1]Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Sakura Press is reported as officially defunct.

• 2011

  Publishing and website activity ends

  [1]Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Sakura Press stops publishing manga and ceases updating its website.

• 2005

  Ranma ½ becomes Sakura Press's first manga release

  [1]Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The first two volumes of Ranma ½ are released in Russia in April.

• 2004

  anime*magazine closes

  [1]Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The magazine ends after key sponsors move their support to the rival AnimeGid publication.

• 2003

  Sakura Press is established

  [1]Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Sakura Press is established in Moscow as a Russian manga licensor and publisher.

• 2003

  anime*magazine launches

  [1]Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Sakura Press collaborates on the launch of anime*magazine, a bimonthly publication covering anime, manga, games, and Japanese culture.

An early Russian specialist publisher focused on licensing and localizing Japanese manga and anime-related content for Russian readers.

• Licensed manga · 2005

  Ranma ½

  Sakura Press's first identified manga publication. The first two Russian-language volumes were released in April 2005. The editions used horizontally reversed pages, a formatting choice that later drew criticism from manga readers who favored the original Japanese reading direction.

• Licensed manga

  Battle Royale

  A licensed manga property listed among Sakura Press's publications. The available reference material confirms the title's association with the company but does not provide detailed information about the number of volumes, publication schedule, or edition specifications.

• Licensed manga

  Chrono Crusade

  A Japanese manga title included in Sakura Press's licensed catalog. It represents the publisher's broader focus on translated Japanese series rather than only one flagship franchise. Detailed Russian edition data is not established in the available source.

• Licensed manga

  Fushigi Yūgi

  A licensed manga property associated with Sakura Press. The title formed part of the company's early Russian manga list, although the available material does not specify its Russian publication dates or complete edition history.

• Licensed manga

  Ai Yori Aoshi

  A Japanese manga series listed among Sakura Press's licensed publications. It illustrates the range of Japanese titles the company sought to make available to Russian readers. Further product and distribution details are not provided by the reference material.

• Licensed manga

  Gunslinger Girl

  A licensed manga title included in Sakura Press's catalog. The available source identifies the association but does not document the exact Russian release dates, volume count, or commercial performance.

• Anime and manga magazine · 2003

  anime*magazine

  A bimonthly magazine published from May 2003 to July 2004 through a collaboration involving Sakura Press and the publishers of Animemaniacs Magazine Online. It covered anime, manga, video games, Japanese culture, and Japanese history, and included reviews, news, interviews, and feature articles. It began in black and white, later added color production, and was distributed with a CD.

• 2011

  End of manga publishing activityStrategy

  Background

  After publishing a range of licensed manga and participating in anime-related media, Sakura Press's visible activity declined.

  Action taken

  The company stopped publishing manga and stopped updating its website.

  Aftermath

  The business was later reported as officially defunct in 2016.

  Source

• 2005

  Launch of Russian Ranma ½ editionsProduct launch

  Background

  Sakura Press positioned Ranma ½ as its first manga publication and as an early licensed manga release in Russia.

  Action taken

  The company published the first two Russian-language volumes in April 2005.

  Aftermath

  The release established Sakura Press's public identity as an early Russian manga publisher. Its page-flipping format subsequently became a point of fandom criticism.

  Source

1. 1Sakura Pressen.wikipedia.org